Summary tables:

Need for training in language assessment

/ Regions of Europe

These tables list the statistically significant differences in the engagement in assessment activities by the respondents from different regions of Europe: If the word ‘more’ or ‘less’ appears once or more times against a particular activity in the tables, then the regions differed for that activity, and the location of the word ‘more’ or ‘less’ indicates which region(s) differed from the others.

The analyses were based on crosstabulations and chi-square tests. The more detailed results can be found elsewhere in this website under ‘Charts & descriptions, activity by activity’ and ‘Details on the statistical analyses’.

Only the European-based respondents are included here. All the results reported here are based on responses to Part 1 of the Questionnaire (the language teachers’ questionnaire). The following division into regions was used here:

1 = Northern Europe (Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark)

2 = Baltic region (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania)

3 = Western Europe (Ireland, UK, France, Belgium, Netherlands)

4 = Central Europe (Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, Czeck rep., Slovakia.)

5 = South-Eastern Europe (Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro, Macedonia, Greece, Turkey)

6 = Eastern Europe (Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Russia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan)

7 = Southern Europe (Portugal, Spain, Malta, Italy, Andorra)

Only the statistically significant (and almost significant) findings are marked in the tables by using the following abbreviations:

Abbreviation	Meaning of the abbreviation
(more) / (less)	A tendency for more / less responses was found for this activity in this region / response category but the finding was not quite significant statistically (standardized residual in the chi-square test was between 1.5 and 1.9 or – 1.5 and – 1.9, for this region)
more / less	Statistically significant finding: there were either more / less (fewer) responses in this category than could be expected (standardized residual in the chi-square test was 2.0 or more / – 2.0 or less, for this region)
MORE / LESS	Statistically very significant finding: there were either more / less (fewer) responses in this category than could be expected (standardized residual in the chi-square test was 3.0 or more / – 3.0 or less, for this region)

If there are no abbreviations (more / less) against an activity in the tables, it means that, overall, the regions did not differ as far as that activity was concerned (the chi-square test was not significant).

Table 1: Need for BASIC training

Need for basic training	Statistically significant and almost significant differences between the regions: - (more) / (less) = a tendency for more / less need for assessment training (not quite significant finding) - more / less = significantly more / less need for training - MORE / LESS = significantly more / less need for training (very strongly significant finding)
Activity:		Northern Europe	Baltic region	Western Europe	Central Europe	South-Eastern Europe	Eastern Europe	Southern Europe
Classroom-focused testing / assessment
Preparing your own classroom tests		(more)		less
Using ready-made tests from textbook packages or from other sources
Interpreting test results (classroom or external tests)				less
Giving feedback to students based on information from tests / assessment			more	(less)
Using self / peer assessment		(more)						(less)
Using informal, continuous, non-test type of assessment
Using the European Language Portfolio, an adaptation of it or some other portfolio			(more)	less				(less)
Purposes of testing
To give grades			more	less
To find out what needs to be taught / learned next			(more)
To place students onto courses, programmes, etc			(more)	less
To award final certificates (from school / programme; local, regional or national level)			(more)	less
Content and concepts
- receptive skills (reading/ listening)		(more)		(less)
- productive skills (speaking/writing)		more
- microlinguistic aspects (eg grammar/vocabulary)
- integrated language skills			more	LESS		MORE
- aspects of culture
Establishing reliability of tests / assessment		more
Establishing validity of tests / assessment		more
Using statistics to study the quality of tests / assessment		more		(less)
External tests and examinations (regional or national)
Taking part in rating oral or written performances				(less)	(less)
Using statistics to study the quality of tests / assessment				(less)
Writing items/test tasks for an examination body				less	(less)
Reviewing items/ test tasks for an external examination		(more)	more	less	(less)
Acting as an interviewer / interlocutor in an oral test or examination					(less)
Defining assessment criteria			more	less

Table 2: Need for MORE ADVANCED training

Need for more advanced training	Statistically significant and almost significant differences between the regions: - (more) / (less) = a tendency for more / less need for assessment training (not quite significant finding) - more / less = significantly more / less need for training - MORE / LESS = significantly more / less need for training (very strongly significant finding)
Activity:		Northern Europe	Baltic region	Western Europe	Central Europe	South-Eastern Europe	Eastern Europe	Southern Europe
Classroom-focused testing / assessment
Preparing your own classroom tests				(less)
Using ready-made tests from textbook packages or from other sources		less	(more)	(less)		(more)	(more)
Interpreting test results (classroom or external tests)				less		(more)
Giving feedback to students based on information from tests / assessment				less
Using self / peer assessment
Using informal, continuous, non-test type of assessment
Using the European Language Portfolio, an adaptation of it or some other portfolio
Purposes of testing
To give grades				(less)
To find out what needs to be taught / learned next				less		(more)
To place students onto courses, programmes, etc		less		(less)	(more)		(more)
To award final certificates (from school / programme; local, regional or national level)		(less)					more
Content and concepts
- receptive skills (reading/ listening)			(more)	less
- productive skills (speaking/writing)			more	LESS
- microlinguistic aspects (eg grammar/vocabulary)			more	less
- integrated language skills				less
- aspects of culture
Establishing reliability of tests / assessment		(less)
Establishing validity of tests / assessment		(less)
Using statistics to study the quality of tests / assessment		(less)
External tests and examinations (regional or national)
Taking part in rating oral or written performances				(less)
Using statistics to study the quality of tests / assessment		(less)						more
Writing items/test tasks for an examination body		(less)						(more)
Reviewing items/ test tasks for an external examination		(less)				(more)		(more)
Acting as an interviewer / interlocutor in an oral test or examination				less
Defining assessment criteria								(more)

Table 3: NO NEED for training

No need for training	Statistically significant and almost significant differences between the regions: - more / MORE = more respondents than could be expected by chance alone stated that they do NOT need training - less / LESS = fewer respondents than could be expected by chance alone stated that they do NOT need training, which thus implies that they need assessment training (either basic or advanced; see the two previous tables)
Activity:		Northern Europe	Baltic region	Western Europe	Central Europe	South-Eastern Europe	Eastern Europe	Southern Europe
Classroom-focused testing / assessment
Preparing your own classroom tests			less	MORE
Using ready-made tests from textbook packages or from other sources				(more)
Interpreting test results (classroom or external tests)			(less)	MORE		less
Giving feedback to students based on information from tests / assessment			(less)	MORE
Using self / peer assessment			(less)	more		(less)
Using informal, continuous, non-test type of assessment				MORE		(less)
Using the European Language Portfolio, an adaptation of it or some other portfolio				MORE		(less)
Purposes of testing
To give grades			(less)	MORE
To find out what needs to be taught / learned next			(less)	MORE		(less)
To place students onto courses, programmes, etc		(more)	(less)	MORE	(less)	(less)	(less)
To award final certificates (from school / programme; local, regional or national level)			(less)	more			less
Content and concepts
- receptive skills (reading/ listening)			(less)	MORE
- productive skills (speaking/writing)			less	MORE
- microlinguistic aspects (eg grammar/vocabulary)			less	MORE
- integrated language skills			(less)	MORE	(less)
- aspects of culture				MORE		(less)
Establishing reliability of tests / assessment				more
Establishing validity of tests / assessment				more	(less)
Using statistics to study the quality of tests / assessment				more
External tests and examinations (regional or national)
Taking part in rating oral or written performances				MORE		less
Using statistics to study the quality of tests / assessment				more		(less)		(less)
Writing items/test tasks for an examination body			(less)	more		less
Reviewing items/ test tasks for an external examination			less	more		less
Acting as an interviewer / interlocutor in an oral test or examination				MORE		less
Defining assessment criteria			less	MORE		(less)